Business and Energy Minister Michael Fallon MP has seen first hand how the area is capitalising on new opportunities.

During his visit to Teesside - hosted by Tees Valley Unlimited - Mr Fallon toured the UK’s largest advanced gasification energy-from-waste plant and a leading safety training facility, as well as meeting representatives from the renewable technology sector and business leaders.

“It has been very encouraging to witness first-hand the economic progress within Tees Valley and how companies in the area are at the forefront of emerging technologies and markets,” he said.

“What I have seen is a clear sign that when Government and business work in partnership, Tees Valley firms have the ambition, talent and ability to succeed.”

Mr Fallon toured Air Products’ new energy-from-waste plant at Billingham on part of the Tees Valley Enterprise Zone

The facility, which involves a £300m investment, will provide enough reliable, controllable and renewable electricity to power the equivalent of up to 50,000 homes. It has created around 700 jobs during its construction and there will be 50 permanent positions once it enters commercial operation, expected next year.

It will divert up to 350,000 metric tons of non-recyclable waste from landfill per year helping to meet the UK’s waste diversion targets, as well contributing to the UK’s renewable energy targets.

He also visited Falck Safety Services, based at Haverton Hill, which offers training for sectors including the offshore and renewable energy industries.

Stephen Catchpole, TVU managing director, said: “Hosting a visit to Tees Valley by the Business and Energy Minister has allowed us to showcase the type of internationally-renowned, innovative and ambitious companies that we are attracting to our Enterprise Zone.

“We also were able to demonstrate how the area is taking advantage of opportunities from emerging sectors, how activities that will create a high value, low carbon economy are being co-ordinated and how we are working with a range of partners and stakeholders to create a diverse economic base.”

Damian Meadows, Air Products’ European asset manager, said: “We were delighted that the Minister accepted an invitation to tour our site and see how our facility will use the most advanced gasification technology in the world to generate renewable power.”

Colin Leyden, managing director of Falck Safety Services, said: “We were delighted to showcase the strength of our position in our marketplace and the quality of our training assets and expert staff to the Minister.”

Alex Dawson, chairman of Energi Coast who also met the Minister, added: “The visit afforded us the opportunity to further raise awareness of the investment made by the integrated supply chain that operates out of the region and how the North-east has the skills, innovation and technology to support offshore renewables developments in both domestic and international waters.”